Obama didn’t just do “Between Two Ferns,” he did “Between Two Ferns.” He took host Zach Galifianakis’s harsh burns and hit back with even harsher ones — “If I ran a third time, it’d be sort of like doing a third Hangover movie. Didn’t really work out very well, did it?” — all in the name of promoting the Affordable Care Act. To find out exactly how it happened and what it was like to work with the Commander-in-Chief, we spoke with Scott Aukerman, host of IFC’s Comedy Bang! Bang! and executive producer and director of “Between Two Ferns.” He talks about how the White House let them get away with basically everything, how the president was easier to work with than some celebrities, and what it was like to give notes to the most powerful man on earth.

You said the idea had been floated before. Was the president familiar with the videos?I can’t really speculate as to whether he is a fan of the videos or has seen them at all. Because every time we do one of these, we’re told the person is a fan of it and then you find out that the person has never seen it before. We were told that he took a look at the videos, but the most important thing to me is whoever’s idea it was — whether it was someone on his team or he himself — the fact that they would do it and the fact that they would keep it such a pure experience was really kind of amazing. I mean, they were easier to work with than some people we’ve had on the show before who should have been easy to work with. [Laughs.] So, it was really not only cool like, “Oh, it was cool we did it,” but it was actually a really good artistic experience.

Were there certain things that you had to go back and forth on or cut out?Zach and I both at a certain point in the process were looking at each other going, “I can’t believe they’re letting us do this,” so pretty much the whole thing — we definitely couldn’t believe it. We kept expecting resistance, but there wasn’t any. It was really an incredible situation. We kept expecting them to say “No, no, no, you can’t have that joke,” or “No, no, no, you can’t be funny, it has to all be about the Affordable Care Act,” but to their credit they really wanted it to be what it was and got out of our way.

Did he pitch jokes?I don’t think the president has to pitch jokes, he just says jokes and we enjoy them.

Do you remember one thing specifically that you enjoyed? I just loved how he was going for the jugular with Zach regarding Bradley Cooper. I could tell the president was really enjoying that, and that’s obviously a funny sore spot for Zach. I really enjoyed that exchange.

You directed it. Did it ever feel normal? What was it like to give the president notes? It was definitely something I was very concerned about. I remember asking someone, “Am I allowed to speak to the president?” And they said, “What do you mean?” And I said, “Well, you know, I’m the director, am I allowed to direct the video?” They said, “Of course!” It was strangely collaborative. It wasn’t that we went in there and did our regular process and they worked with us on it. I think people in Hollywood are so used to getting their own way with how they’re treated in interviews that they’re more difficult than people at the White House, who are just excited to be in there.

Now that the video is out there, have you read any comments from conservatives saying it demeans the presidency?I’ve seen some tweets about that kind of stuff. Like someone wrote like, “How does the president have time to do this?” And it’s like, how does anyone have time to do anything? The great part about it is, this president knows how to reach young people in a way that no other president has, and it’s very important that he reach young people with this issue. This is so much better and will attract so much more attention than him going on a Sunday morning show and talking about this issue when most people I know of this generation aren’t even up that early on a Sunday morning. The outrage about it is from a different generation, and the younger people really get it.

Life is good, I can see clearly now, my windows are clean… la La la! Am on my way to the bank and to Trader Joe’s, so am pleased to have nailed FIRST, now I can be happy!! 😆 (actually, I am usually pretty happy, especially for having POTUS and FLOTUS, and TOD in my life!) Be back in a while! Y’all have fun without me, y’hear?? 😆

Have yourself a good day!
I’m sitting here looking through the window at the snow, and in truth, not minding that my windows are not as clean as they should be. The snowfall and the obvious windy weather are a blur that I gladly turn my back on as I’m not going anywhere today.

Maybe, 57, but I am innocent of this button appearing, best to ask a BT, perhaps even our brilliant NW, in whose post this phenomenon is first appearing! Thanks for ‘liking’ me, the feeling is totally mutual! ♥

Not I, I love verbiage!! And I love you! I SOOOOO need to leave. It must be that I can finally see out the windows (they were very dirty), and am so captivated by the view I am unable to ACTUALLY GO OUT AND BE IN THE VIEW. Reality Check needed badly!

The exchanges, though hitting some clearly prearranged points, feel ad lib; the show is usually improvised. (Interestingly, Sonny Bunch, posting in the conservative Washington Free Beacon, criticized Obama for not understanding “the point of the show — the guest is not supposed to get in good zingers; he’s supposed to be taken down a peg.” In fact, Galifianakis, playing an idiot, is usually the one who looks bad.)

Sounds like Mr. SonnyBunch missed the entire thing?? Too bad his ODS got in the way of bringing him a good belly laugh – he sounds as if he needs one! (of course I have no clue who he is, or who he thinks he’s supposed to be, and I don’t give a flying eff anyway!) 🙂

Sigh, I guess WordP is playing around again! Wish they wouldn’t play with my comments. Yo, WordP, If you’re going to add ‘like this’ at least do so in such a way that we can CHOOSE it when the comments merit it.. 🙄

Abuse is abuse. Good for her, and why should she change the truth after everything they put her through. It’s high time Clarence is reminded of his evility. (made up a new word) I really gotta get outta here… VC – just ignore the Like This feature. It’s easy. Bye.

MP, nobody with any sense and certainly no woman doubted Anita Hill’s story. She had everything to lose and nothing to gain by coming forward. If the Senate goons had truly listened to her, we would not have the dead weight that is Clarence Thomas taking up space on the Supreme Court today.

It seems like a lot of TODers decided to take the day/week off. It has been so quiet since I signed on earlier this morning that I’ve almost been tempted to go do my chores, or clear away some old mail …..almost.

Great!
I was thinking of you earlier when I awoke to falling snow and a driveway that’s no longer snow-free. Of course, I immediately scratched my night-time plan to go to the car wash. Since Monday and yesterday were nice and dry and the car is very dusty, I really wasn’t thinking your weather prediction would hit me – at least not so early. Ah, well.

It seems like a gimmick but I know for a fact that it takes away about 50% of her anxiety: It’s a stretchy fleece-like thing that wraps the dog from around their necks and over their body. You wrap it kind of tight (it has a lot of stretch), and it’s like a ‘hug’ only it’s not a ‘hug’ which actually rewards the fear. Especially if I get it on her before the first rumble of thunder, it helps a lot. At least she won’t cower in complete terror under the furniture.

You can use the thundershirt in any anxiety situation: car rides, going to the vet, fireworks (she hates those too). It doesn’t work for every dog or every situation, but it helps Pearl and I know other people who have had success with it.

I also got one for Nickelby, who for some reason is terrified of the sound of the oven door. It helps him a lot. If I remember to get it on him before I use the oven, sometimes he won’t even notice or at the very least it minimizes the anxiety a great deal.

The downside of adopting adult dogs – God knows what they’ve been through. Anyway, I suggest trying the thundershirt for dogs who have anxiety issues – it’s worth a try.

VC, for some reason the time change on Sunday completely disrupted by sleep patterns and I’ve been tired all week. I hate that the mornings are darker and so I think it’s early than it is and oversleep, which always sets me off in a cranky direction for the rest of the day.

‘…oversleep, which always sets me off in a cranky direction for the rest of the day.’

Sorry JackieG, but this made me smile.

I understand about the dark, though. I’m a dark/light person myself, but am also a light sleeper. Once my offspring gets up to get ready and shuts the bathroom door, dark or not I wake up, so I can’t blame DST for *my* crankiness.

Well now, can we negotiate? A present is meant to be enjoyed, isn’t it? See, green grass will mean that I’ll have to be cutting the lawn very soon, and I’m not mentally ready for that yet. (Actually you can delete the ‘yet’.) 😉

I think a lot of people didn’t know how completely humorous our President is.. he is a natural and has been making me (dare I say, Us) laugh for several years now. He’s been my favorite comedienne for quite a while- other than my 3 sons.. who crack me up all the time too.

I know, because like you, I’ve watched these things.. because I’m all things President Obama. I’m just not so sure everyone else watches the WHCD – I mean until President Obama- I’d never even heard of that.

Thanks to prettyfoot58, I see if we “Like this,” the writer gets an email and a notification here. The email directs the writer: “You might want to go see what they’re up to! Perhaps you will like their blog as much as they liked your comment!”

So, we don’t have to hang onto one blade of grass, to keep from falling off the face of the Earth, if somebody likes a comment.

My son completely concurs – he brought the show to my attention (I had already read about it) and he really enjoyed the way PBO “got” the show completely and gave as good as he got. It’s easy to say other presidents will need to do stuff like this, but how many will be able to do it with the style and panache of Barack Obama??

And I would just die of perfection if PBO ever went on the Stephen Colbert show! Which would mean I wouldn’t be around to enjoy the rest of his presidency and life so I hope he doesn’t do it! (But it really would be great…)

There’s a new online book with his most significant quotes on the Vatican’s website, which is so 21st Century for the Vatican, I’m smiling. I’m Catholic and also crack up how some of the Cardinals must have that deer-in-the-headlights look about his winning ways, but some are probably thrilled with the “back to basics” (we are our brother’s keeper, etc.) talk from the Pope. Happy anniversary to him – and I cannot believe it was an entire year ago!

Thanks NW and Chips for all the news and fun on one blog. Someone mentioned they wanted to hear happy news, I can give you a little. Two scores ago I gave birth to a tiny little boy, my first! Had to enjoy the experience by myself in a Navy hospital thanks to the Navy. Dad was in sunny Cuba training. Wow, does time fly. 😉

I had to watch our pres on two ferns last night as soon as I got home from work. my work computer has too old of a browser to view funnyordie.com. anyways, i thought it was awesome, and i couldn’t be happier the way he went around the useless beltway media to reach out to young people and encourage them and inform them about healthcare.